Behind a Smile
by Songstress Summers
Summary: Ruby is forced to move in with her uncle, Qrow, after attempting suicide due to bullying. Taiyang states it's because he can't focus on both, but Ruby knows better. Now she has to deal with school and the bullies again, but hopefully she'll make some friends this time around.
1. Prologue

**A/N: This story was also posted on AO3 under the same name. It deals with some things, and puts Taiyang in a bit of a bad light but... there are reasons for it, I promise.**

* * *

Moving was a hassle.

The boxes in the back, labelled by Ruby specifically as she wouldn't allow anyone to touch her things when she packed them up, were packed up tightly in a way that only Taiyang knew how to unpack. Ruby didn't know how, and she didn't want to know. Curled up in her seat as best as she could be, she stared out the window at the trees as they started to thin out and get replaced by the familiar look of the town. Ruby hated this town. It was nothing but a bad memory for her. Days of getting bullied relentlessly, especially during the day when Yang had lost her arm, still plagued her mind. Even after this move, she'd be returning to the same high school just to get bullied more. How Taiyang had ever convinced her uncle to take her was beyond Ruby's understanding. From what she remembered, her uncle lived in a small 1-bedroom apartment. There wouldn't be any room for her _or_ her things.

" _I know this'll be hard, sweetheart, but I just can't deal with this right now. Yang needs my attention."_

Ruby felt her eyes tearing up and wiped them hastily with the sleeve of her over-sized sweater. It had always been like this, for as long as she could remember. If Yang was hurting first, Ruby would be shafted. It just wasn't fair to her. She needed Taiyang, too. But instead of being helped, the moment she'd gotten home, Taiyang had told her she'd be living with her uncle due to him being unable to support them both during these trying times.

It was enough to make Ruby wish she hadn't fallen for that one student's sweet words. They were empty, as were the promises she'd been made so long ago. Subconsciously, Ruby started scratching at her arm as if it had an itch but stopped once she realized what she was doing. As she watched the stores pass by, Taiyang took a left turn and headed down an unfamiliar road. Stopping at a house not even a few minutes away from the city hall, Ruby unbuckled her belt and opened the door, getting out and standing on the side of the van. She closed the door and waited for Taiyang to ring the doorbell.

"I've gotta start unpacking the van. Go tell your uncle we're here." Taiyang said. Ruby bit her lower lip, chewing on it a bit before slowly walking towards the door and ringing the doorbell. She stared at it for a minute until she was able to hear footsteps and the door slowly opened. It was well-lit inside from what Ruby could see before someone blocked the way. And she looked up to see her uncle, Qrow, staring at her. Moving out of his way, pulling down on her sleeves, she looked to Taiyang, who had gotten a few boxes out and was making his way to the porch. Once he was there and had set the boxes down, the two of them exchanged a look before Qrow sighed.

"Come on, kid. Let me show you where you're gonna sleep."

Ruby followed him at a ten-foot distance. Qrow had somehow gotten a house, and it made Ruby wonder what kind of money he was pulling in to afford it. He lead her down a hall, opening the door about fifteen steps into the hallway. Stepping aside to let her in, Qrow only lingered at the door as Ruby walked in, looking around. Nothing much except for a bed, a desk and a dresser. She was bringing the rest of the things to decorate this room with.

"It's not much, I know. But I didn't want to overwhelm you with a fully decked out room. This way, you can decorate it like you want." Qrow said, slightly spooking Ruby. She looked behind her, her heart having jumped to her throat for a moment. "Sorry, pipsqueak. Forgot you were a bit jumpy lately. Don't worry, you're safe here."

Ruby nodded, looking back at the bed. Qrow let her be, going to help Taiyang bring in the boxes. About twenty minutes later, her new room was filled with boxes. Taiyang hugged Ruby before leaving, but she didn't see him off. The next few hours, Ruby spent it unpacking and setting up her room. Her bed was made up, her clothes put away and everything was put in its place. The only thing besides her blankets and pillow on her bed was also a stuffed animal that she'd had for ten years. Taking off her shoes and setting them near her door. Sitting on her bed, she pulled off the sweater and set it next to her. Today was what began her stay with her uncle, and she wasn't too certain that she could handle it. Memories of waking up to find him drunk and sleeping on the couch weren't fond ones.

She started to subconsciously scratch at her arm again, looking at her feet. Biting her lip, she moved to lay on the bed, pulling her stuffed animal into her arms and fighting back tears. She didn't understand why Taiyang was being so distant with her nor why he decided to just dump her on Qrow. Curling up in bed, hugging her stuffed animal close, Ruby tried her hardest not to cry. It was just like all the bullies said. Taiyang didn't love her. She was just a convenient toy.

" _And it's better off for all of us if you just died!_ "

It hurt to actually take their words seriously. But, ever since Taiyang had said he couldn't deal with her on top of dealing with Yang's problems, Ruby had to think that there was some truth to the bullies' words. Maybe it was true… Taiyang probably didn't care or love her like she'd thought he did. Ruby sniffled, trying not to cry. It wasn't fair. Why did Taiyang favour Yang over her? Was something wrong with her that made Taiyang hate her very being?

A knock came to her door. Ruby slowly opened her eyes, not remembering falling asleep and sat up as the door opened, rubbing her eyes tiredly. It opened and Qrow came in with a tray of food. She stared for a moment before setting her stuffed animal aside carefully and finding her sweater, pulling it back on. Pulling the sleeves over her hands, which made her feel a bit more comfortable, she held up her hands up to accept the tray. Qrow could only hand it over before sitting next to her as she started munching on the cinnamon toast, which was the only thing he knew that she liked. Taking the juice after she finished a piece, Ruby downed it almost immediately.

"I usually only order takeout, since I can't cook worth shit," Qrow explained, leaning forward. Looking to Ruby, he continued. "But I remembered that you liked it when I made that. Hopefully it's not too… sugary. It's been several years since I've made it."

Mouth full of toast, Ruby looked to Qrow and swallowed. "It's actually as good as back then… Thanks, Uncle Qrow…. For remembering."

He chuckled, putting a hand on her head and ruffling her hair. "No problem, kid."


	2. Chapter 1: First Day Back

**_A/N:_** _In hindsight, I probably should just warn everyone that it's been ages since I watched RWBY and so some characters may seem OOC. There's reasons for it, I promise, I just need to set up a bit more of the story._

* * *

 _Staring at the ground below, Ruby could feel like her entire life was just a lie. That it was just a bad dream that she needed to wake up from. She had to be dreaming. People weren't that mean, right? They weren't telling the truth… right? She heard the rooftop door open and turned around to see a young blond, about her sister's age, in a brown bunny hoodie and jeans. The sneakers were slightly scuffed up, but otherwise he looked pretty normal._

" _Why are you up here? To laugh? You can do that on the ground floor." Ruby turned away._

" _No." The blond took a step forward. "I-I wanted to talk to you. This is the first time you've done something so drastic..."_

" _You don't care," she snapped, looking behind her. "Where were you when Cardin and his gang were bullying me? When he got some female students to gang up on me in the bathroom and beat the living daylights out of me?"_

" _He did what…?" The blond looked confused. Ruby looked back to the ground, where there was a crowd gathering. "But that doesn't mean that you should end your life! There's so much to look forward to, like ice cream on a hot day and people to listen to everything you say..."_

" _It's better off if I'm dead. Then my d-… My father can spend his time looking after Yang. He doesn't love me." The echo of the words she'd been told came out of her mouth. Even Yang didn't care, did she? No one did…_

" _But then you'd be missing out. What about the dance coming up? The field trip scheduled for next month? You'd be missing everything… and I'd take you to the dance if you'd let me."_

 _Ruby had to turn back to him and actually laughed. It was a bitter laugh as she shook her head. "Sweet, but you're just trying to get me down."_

* * *

Waking up from her dream, Ruby sat up and rubbed her eyes again, the stuffed animal in her arms. The sun shone in the window, and it told her that it was morning. Had she really slept through the night and the rest of yesterday? After Uncle Qrow had left, she'd mostly kept to herself in her room and made sure that she hadn't bothered him. That must've constituted with her falling asleep instead. Ruby remembered someone shaking her gently and saying her name, but she couldn't exactly remember who or what it was. Looking around, she expected Taiyang to come in and tell her she was late for school but that didn't happen. There was a glass of ice water on her nightstand on a coaster, and it looked pretty new. Taking it, Ruby gulped it down as her throat was extremely dry and she was really thirsty.

The glass set back on the coaster, she set her stuffed animal on the bed and covered it up, petting its head before going to shower and get dressed. The house was eerily silent, save for the whirring of the air conditioner. Ruby tugged today's sweater's sleeves over her hands as she walked into the kitchen. There was a note on the table addressed to her, which she picked up carefully.

 _Ruby,_

 _Sorry I couldn't be here in the morning. I got called in to work. I left you some water in case you were thirsty when you woke up, like you used to be. Lunch is in the fridge. It's stuff even a baby could make, so it's not as exquisite as Taiyang's lunches would be. Have a good day at school, pipsqueak._

 _Uncle Qrow_

Ruby set down the note before turning it over and writing a thank you note on the back. Keeping it on the table, she went to the fridge and found a brown paper sack. It brought back a few more memories, ones that brought tears to Ruby's eyes. Taking out the lunch, she set it on the counter after she closed the fridge before heading back to her room to pack her backpack up full of the books and homework she'd been required to do even if she'd been in the hospital. High school was difficult, especially when she was two years ahead of people her own age. It worsened considerably since the bullies, Cardin and his gang (along with some females with someone named Cinder), were all basically jealous. That's what Yang had said one time when Ruby had told her.

But she had to wonder what Yang was thinking without her. Did she, too, think of Ruby as a burden? Or did she want to get Ruby's side of the story? Thinking on that, Ruby didn't know what Yang would think now that she was gone.

Grabbing her cell phone, she stowed it in the hidden pocket in her backpack once she was certain it was on vibrate only. Once she was ready, with her lunch in her backpack, she headed out of the house and locked the door behind her, walking to the school itself. It was a few miles away but, luckily, Ruby had gotten an early start. She didn't want to go, though, so she tried to make herself lag a little. It was hard when she had to cross the streets while cars honked at her, drivers impatient to get where they're going. She had nearly gotten run over, too. Drivers these days had no chill, and the impatience was especially big with a white car with blue detailing. Ruby recognized that sort of car. It was a Schnee car, and Ruby knew it well. It was in certain commercials and certain reality TV shows. But who was in such a rush to get anywhere? The Schnees owned one of the biggest franchises ever from cars to even stores!

So it beget the question as to who was in the car.

A half hour before school started, Ruby had finally arrived and headed towards her homeroom. It was probably packed with people, like always, so she had to find a seat immediately. Luckily for her, she was early enough to snag a seat in the back. Her teacher didn't like assigning seats, so they were to grab whichever they could. That was a bonus for this. Setting her backpack down and making sure to cling to it with her feet, she waited once she was seated and had her homework out to turn in.

Not that the teachers would take such late homework. Thinking on it like that, Ruby returned her homework to her bag as students started filing in. The most prominent of faces was the people who usually sat in the front. Ruby thought their names were Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie, but she couldn't be too sure. The rest of the people weren't as memorable as those two. Perhaps it was because they didn't talk as much as the others, or because Nora was extremely talkative.

"So, Ren, tomorrow we should try waffles!" Nora exclaimed as she sat in her seat in the front. Ren sighed and sat next to her.

"Maybe. We'd need the ingredients first. And that means a trip to the grocery store."

Ruby sighed as the teacher came in and told them to settle down before getting started on the class. It was one of the most well-known teachers in the state. Glynda Goodwitch, who had graduated from college early from what Ruby could remember. She was pretty no-nonsense and preferred to be called 'Professor Goodwitch', much like a college teacher would. Ruby paid close attention to what she said and what was acceptable in her class. This honestly meant that she'd be out of luck turning in any late homework, as Professor Goodwitch didn't accept late assignments.

Once the bell rang for class to be over, everyone packed their things away and headed out of class. Ruby had been tempted to go up to her desk and ask, but she knew better. As she was walking out, right behind Nora and Ren, Professor Goodwitch spoke up.

"Miss Rose. A word, if you don't mind."

Ruby turned to her, walking over and standing at her desk, pulling at her sleeve. "Y-yes, Professor Goodwitch?"

"I understand you've been in the hospital for your little stunt on the roof." Ruby winced at that, but tried to play it off as nothing. "Be that as it may, it doesn't mean you should also neglect your schoolwork. As of yesterday, you have a failing grade."

"But.. I was in the hospital!"

"That's no excuse." Professor Goodwitch gave her a stern look. "Plenty of people are in the hospital, and they still get things done. I expected more of you, Miss Rose. Dismissed."

Ruby bit her lip, trying not to cry as she left the room. It was much, much more difficult to hold herself together knowing that she was failing because a teacher couldn't be bothered to give her a pass due to being in the hospital. Ruby wasn't too certain she even liked going back to school any more. She was trying to be brave, but yet… Things like this were kicking her down harder than she ever remembered. All she had was just… well, nothing, considering the fact her father didn't even want anything to do with his daugther.

To make matters even worse, Ruby wasn't watching where she was going and bumped into someone that huffed and turned around.

"Watch where you're going!" The girl huffed, starting to go into lecture mode. Ruby shrank back reflexively, trying to make herself look smaller. This was a Schnee. Ruby could tell from how she held herself to how she spoke. It was a rich girl attitude, and Ruby didn't do well with those kinds of attitudes. "You _do_ know that this is a cashmere sweater, right? It's more expensive than that rag you're wearing. If you've ruined it, I'll sue!"

"I-I'm sorry, I-" Ruby found herself looking at the girl's hand.

"You'll be speaking to my lawyer." And the girl walked off. Ruby stood there for quite a few minutes before running off to her next class, hoping she wasn't late.

She just wanted to go home...


End file.
